


I'll search through hell for you

by moeblobmegane



Series: ∞ Days with NagiRin [4]
Category: Free!
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, Open Ending, power rangers!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-09
Updated: 2014-02-09
Packaged: 2018-01-11 17:49:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1176052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moeblobmegane/pseuds/moeblobmegane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>MizuYellow just really wants to finally find their Red.<br/>[5th Day- 7 Days with NagiRin]</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll search through hell for you

**Author's Note:**

> Power Rangers!AU because I've been itching to write something like this since... a long time ago, actually. This is like a test run, to see if I'm interested enough to write a series (just the _thought_ of them fighting giant underwater monsters is making me extremely happy okay) and if people will get interested enough too ~~(I'm a sell-out who wants comments because they keep me young)~~.
> 
> And of course I'm cheating because it's also part of 7 Days with NagiRin. (Worse cheating, actually, since this is the 5th day to a series without a 4th. Not that it affects anything but yeah, I'm a bad person.)
> 
>  **Basic facts:** Mizu is water in Japanese. This is a [kappa](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappa_\(folklore\)). Polluzoids are pollutant zoids I invented just now. MizuRangers take their power from the great water god because _why not_.
> 
> By the way, it's open ended. So if you have inability to accept things like that, run away now.

The MizuRangers have different ways of spending their peaceful days. After a particularly bad fight, the PolluZoids would be in worse condition than they are, so it's always quiet for at least a day or two. This means MizuPurple, or Rei-chan as everyone calls him in the headquarters, gets to spend more time in the mechanics room to study their robots in detail. He would stay there the entire day, just writing reports and gushing about how  _beautiful_ and  _majestic_  the water mobiles are. It would be creepy if it's not completely hilarious to everyone around. Sometimes, he'd go for more training because he's the 'newest member who still feels insecure' (as succintly explained by the all-knowing Commanding Officer Ama-chan). Honestly, though he's not as good in fighting as the other four, no one really thinks he's any different from the older members. He's  _theirs_ , and he would always belong.

 

MizuGreen, their beloved Mako-chan, goes back home to his family and plays with his little siblings. He would always find little things for them and then would also somehow convince the higher ups to let him transform every now and then into his powered-up self just to reenact fight scenes for them. It's all adorable and mind-numbingly cute that no one has ever said no to Makoto.

 

MizuBlue, or Haru-chan ("Drop the -chan!"), would lounge in their Olympic-sized pool all day long. The water was an important power source for all of them, but more so for Haru. He lives for it, can't stay out of it for long. There's lots of rumors around the HQ, about him being half-fish or being a  _kappa_. There are also some hilarious ideas like him being sexually attracted to water (it was said as a joke but about 50% of the HQ firmly believes it). Makoto was the one who whispered to the whole team, after one fight that shook all of them to the core, that Haru feels safe underwater; that while some people have security blankets or comforting stuffed toys, Haru embraces the water. It was a delicate defense mechanism that nobody wants to mention ever again.

 

MizuPink, their strategist and boss Gou-chan ("Call me Kou!"), spends most of it talking to the administration for after-battle reports. She would also draft more strategies than they'd ever need (given how Haruka's main plan all the time is "wing it, I only fight  _free"_ ). She is also in charge of documenting new information on their enemies and handling all the paper works. She's called a workaholic by everyone, but really, she's just passionate about helping the team. And also... She has her reasons.

 

MizuYellow, or Nagisa, has no definitive plan. He hates predictability, and moreso  _planning_. Planning sucks, and thinking ahead of time is just a pain. He never settles into a routine, never does anything that would be guessed by the HQ. Sometimes, he goes out and shops for trinkets for everyone. Sometimes he watches a movie. Sometimes he blasts "Never Gonna Give You Up" in the mechanics room. Sometimes he swims with Haruka. Sometimes he goes to Makoto's house and gives cookies to the children. He does anything he wants to do, when he wants it.

 

So, really, it shouldn't be much of a surprise when Gou finds a distressing message on her phone, of Nagisa's excited voice shouting "I found him! Ohgod, I found him!" before it was cut off by a sound of explosion, then a long eerie silence.

 

\---

 

"You're not..." Nagisa coughed up blood, clutching on the side of his stomach as he stepped back away from the other guy. "You're not Rin-chan." He spat out, eyes showing anger as his other hand clenched into a fist. "Where did you hide him?"

The guy just smiled, all of his sharp shark-like teeth gleaming. His hair was red, and so were his eyes, and it was so much like Rin's that Nagisa had to focus on his clothes instead. He was wearing all black, like a cheap goon for a supervillain; tight black shirt that shows off his muscles, and well-worn black jeans. "Oh Nagisa," His eyes had that evil glint that always appears just when someone is thinking of murdering you. (Nagisa knows that look too much, because he receives it every week from the stupid PolluZoids who wants him dead.) "Still ever the optimist?" He cooed, sounding nothing like the well-mannered and hyperactive kid that Nagisa knew from his childhood.

"Don't  _pretend."_  Nagisa gritted his teeth, bracing himself for the pain as he took out his MizuChanger from his pocket. It was a cellphone-type changer that uses codes. Dialing his code immediately, he raised it up above his head and closed his eyes as the energy enveloped him immediately. The sharp pain dulled down as he felt a thin veil of water passing through him, changing his clothes into his standard uniform and placing a helmet on his head. "You're not my Rinrin!" He shouted defiantly as he pulled his gun from his side and started showering the fake with bullets.

 

\---

 

_"Please?" Nagisa, 12 years old and very much new to this whole thing, sat beside Matsuoka Rin with his hands clasped together in a begging gesture. "You're the best ranger-in-training! So, please..."_

_Rin preened at the compliment, smiling widely and looking at Nagisa with bright eyes. "I could help you, sure." He was a Class A MizuRanger-candidate; the youngest to be chosen in their batch. He handled the Mizuchanger with grace, with ease that could only be seen from their instructors. Only Nanase Haruka, his rival in life, could actually outspeed him in the mock battles. They were at par in strength, the top two who were seen as the future Red and Blue. "Let's go." He said, pulling at Nagisa's arm as they walked towards the practice rooms. "Show me how you fight." He gently urged Nagisa to go inside one of the virtual reality rooms._

_Nodding enthusiastically, Nagisa went inside quickly. Soon, he was surrounded by realistic images of 5 Class C Polluzoids. He took out his gun from his holster and aimed quickly, rolling to the right as they jumped in to attack. He was small and fast, a good combination when you're fighting with a gun. He easily brought down the first two, but was cornered into a wall by the third. It slammed into him harshly, and his head hit the wall with a painful thud. "Ow!" He closed his eyes in pain._

_The lights changed as the images disappeared and as the door opened. "You were cornered." Rin frowned deeply. "How are you even-" He looked at Nagisa as if it was the first time he's seen the boy. "How did you **pass**  the examination? You were cornered into a wall!"_

_"I was-" Nagisa looked up, memories overwhelming him as he remembered the day he was accepted into the academy. "It was a team recon exercise."_

_"And you had a great team so they pulled you up from the awful level you're in?" Rin asked bluntly, looking utterly offended at the idea._

_Nagisa shook his head slowly. "I saved everyone." He answered quietly, looking straight at Rin with wide eyes. "I defeated all the enemies before they could hurt Aki-chan."_

_"You..._   ** _what?_** _"_

  


_\---_

 

Nagisa was cornered into the wall, out of ammo and out of weapons. His bombs were all used up. His dagger was on the other side of the large abandoned factory. "Who are you?" He stalled, because he knew Gou was already trying to find him and his GPS tracker was still safe inside the MizuChanger. His helmet was cracked and a bloody portion of his face was peeking out of it. The enemy seemed to relish on this. "Why are you-" He did his best to sound sad, which wasn't hard when a tainted image of your first love was in front of you. "Why would you pretend to be Matsuoka Rin?"

The fake Rin raised an eyebrow, leaning closer until he was inches away from the other's face. "Who said I was pretending?" He asked, before leaning back and laughing quietly. "Did you expect me to be a fountain of laughter and sunshine the next time we meet?" His lips curled into a bitter smile. "Oh wait, you  _didn't think_  I was ever going to come back. Apparently, I'm dead to the world."

"You-" Nagisa's eyes widened. He didn't want to entertain the thought of this. Never wanted to think of Rin being so wounded that he'd turn evil. He wanted Rin to be  _alive._  He wanted Rin to be  _safe._  He never once thought Rin could team up with anyone from the other side. "We know Rin-chan wasn't dead. We searched for him. We're still searching for him!"

"And yet here I am." Rin ( _fake Rin,_  Nagisa insisted in his mind) said with thinly veiled hatred. "Clearly, you've been slacking off."

 

\---

 

_"You're slacking off." Rin grouched, watching Nagisa munch on the cookies Gou brought them earlier. "You are the **worst**  apprentice ever."_

 

_"Oh!" Nagisa just smiled widely and took another cookie. "I'm your apprentice now?" He giggled. "That makes you sound old."_

 

_"I'm older than you." Rin replied, crossing his arms as if daring Nagisa to counter that._

 

_"By a few months." Nagisa just grinned and offered Rin the container. "Come on, Gou-chan did her best to make these for you!"_

 

_Rin rolled his eyes and sighed before giving up and taking one. "I hate cookies."_

 

_Nagisa's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're lying!" He exclaimed. "Only bad people hate cookies!"_

 

_"Well maybe I'm a bad person." Rin shrugged._

  


_\---_

 

Nagisa shook his head defiantly. "You're not Rin-chan. You're just pretending to get to me." He knew their enemies had lots of tricks under their sleeves. This must be one of those water-related illusions they have. If he could just... If he could just injure this mirage, surely it would revert back to its real form. "Rin-chan won't ever side with the bad people."

 

A loud, cruel laugh escaped Fake Rin's lips as he stepped back, eyes shining dangerously as he brought his gaze square at Nagisa's face. "Well, maybe I'm a bad person." He intoned the very same way Rin did all those years ago. "Maybe I realized being good was overrated." He added, looking like he enjoyed the look of horror on Nagisa's face. "Maybe I realized I wanted to kill everyone who ever stepped on me."

 

"But-" It was getting harder to focus on coming up with a plan to escape, what's with this Fake Rin talking like he knew what Rin said years ago. It was getting harder to pretend that this Fake Rin was really a fake, and it was getting harder for Nagisa to breath as he felt a heavy weight in his chest. "If you're really Rin-chan, why did you-"

 

"I didn't  _disappear_." Rin spat out, his cruel angry expression breaking for a second to show a sad betrayed one. He looked away and took a deep breath before looking back at Nagisa's face. "They sent me out on a suicide mission. They wanted Haru to be the Red."

 

\---

 

_"So you think I'm the best but you want Haru to be the Red?" Rin glared at Nagisa. "You've betrayed my trust. Get out of my sight, you ungrateful apprentice." Despite the glare, there was a shadow of a smile on his face and his voice was more playful than angry._

_Nagisa shrugged and sat down by Rin's side. "Not really. I want you to be Red." He explained. "You're more used to helping your team mates. But sometimes I wonder if Haru-chan could be a Second Red. Because I doubt he'll just sit down and let you become the highest ranking officer like that." He leaned his back on the wall, looking at the ceiling as he tried to remember from his Rangers History class earlier. "It's happened before, having two Reds. Co-captains who fought equally."_

_"I doubt we could do that too." Rin shrugged. "Haru's hard-headed."_

_"You are, too." Nagisa insisted, looking at him with those wide eyes again. "That's why you're so similar. You could work together."_

_"And you'll be... what?" Rin asked, because this was something he's thought about since before. Someone as strong as Nagisa, someone who was hiding this much potential, would be an appropriate Red as well._

_"I want to be a Yellow." Nagisa said, grinning confidently. He could be whoever he wants to be, and they both knew that. "I wanted to be a Red, but I want to support you two. And I have the aptitude to be the speedster and guns-expert."_

_Rin nodded. "Ah, yes." He didn't think Nagisa had thought about it so thoroughly. "You're the fastest person I've-"_

_Nagisa smiled widely. "Yes?"_

_"You're fast for a brat." Rin said instead, standing up. "Come on. Stretching for twenty minutes then let's run some laps."_

 

_\---_

 

"What does that even-" Nagisa was already exhausted and he was injured too much, his blood loss was probably severe. If he wasn't changed right now, he probably would have died. Only the power of water was keeping him up. He mentally kicked himself and tried to focus on his escape plan instead. No use being caught up by this Fake Rin's words, no matter how real they may sound. No matter how much he thinks about it, he can't help but think that Rin will never choose to hurt him. He'd never intentionally point a gun towards Nagisa. "Stop saying things like that." He said, mapping the path he'll take inside his head. He continued speaking, just to keep Fake Rin's attention on him. "I'll never believe you."

 

Rin laughed out loud again, throwing his head back.

 

And that was his chance. Nagisa, without even making a single sound, ran like the wind across the room, avoiding the traps and smoldering hot surfaces from the earlier fight. It was easy, running away like this. He never liked this strategy, but this was more mentally exhausting than any fight he's ever had in the last five years.

 

"You think you can escape me?" Rin asked, as he ran just as fast right behind Nagisa.

 

"I'm the fastest person Rin-chan has ever known." Nagisa whispered, letting that thought be transformed into strength and power. He kicked the ground harder as he sped up.

 

\---

 

_"I still want to see the footage of you single-handedly taking out an army of Polluzoids." Rin started as soon as he walked in on their recreational room. Nagisa was sitting in front of the TV, watching some stupid horror movie. "I can't believe it no matter how many people tell me about it." As it turned out, Gou was part of that team recon exercise. They were all supposed to get one item from the PolluZoids' lair but a member accidentally pulled something that caused an alarm. They were cornered by 10 of the monsters. With Gou's quick wit, and Nagisa's skills at fighting, they were able to kill each one of them. The two, plus 'Aki-chan' who was able to kill some monsters as well, got into the academy together._

 

_"But you said you understood how it happened..." Nagisa asked, eyebrows furrowing. "You don't believe it but you're using it as a guide for my training?"_

 

_"Well," Rin scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "I understood your strengths through the stories." He explained. "It's unbelievable but it's fact, so."_

 

_"What are my strengths?" Nagisa asked, instead of reacting to the obviously unfair idea Rin has about his Legendary-Enrollment-Exam._

 

_Rin raised an eyebrow and sat on the couch behind Nagisa. "Simply put, you fight better with something important on the line. Something concrete. You're not a theoretical fighter, nor an imagination-based fighter. You're suprisingly a realist who's power-up button is his friends."_

 

_"That makes me sound like an anime character." Nagisa narrowed his eyes at the ceiling._

 

_"Stop thinking about it. I just said you weren't a theoretical fighter. Thinking too much probably damages you." Rin teased, smiling fondly at him._

 

 _  
_\---

 

"Thinking too much might damage your brain." Rin shouted from behind him as he shot a barrage of poison at his trail. "Stop planning and just let me-"

 

They were outside now and there was a bigger chance for him to escape easily. They were at the pier, coming from one giant abandoned factory. If he wasn't running for his life, he'd laugh because it was such a cliche thing for supervillains to do. (Deep inside, he tried to convince himself that Rin isn't a dork who would follow all villain cliches, despite his own memories telling him that Rin was exactly that.) Before he could think, Nagisa dived forward into the water and let the water heal his injuries. He felt Rin dive behind him, so he immediately spread his hands around until a protective barrier was set up between them. He was stronger here. Rin would never be able to fight against his barrier. "For the last time, why are you preten-" He was telepathically talking into Rin's mind.

 

"NO!" Before he could finish, Rin's eyes widened and his whole body froze. "Please!" His voice broke as he clutched his head and as his knees tucked in closer to him, regressing back into a fetus position as he sobbed out in pain. "Don't- My mind- I can't-"

 

That pained expression. That voice. That... that broken expression. Nagisa knew that. Nagisa had nightmares about it. "Rin-chan..." He had no other way to speak but through his mind.

 

"No!" Rin shouted again, as if they weren't underwater. "I'm-  _please stop_." He sobbed and scratched at his arm until blood sprouted from it. His- Nagisa's eyes widened as he noticed for the first time the gills on his neck. He scratched with nails sharper than humans could possibly have. He scratched at his neck, until it was bleeding as well. He looked so lost, so frustrated and angry. "I don't want to- Please," He continued sobbing and hurting himself. "Nagisa,  _just kill me._ "

 

Nagisa stared at him, mind whirring quickly than it has ever done. This really was Rin. This crying man, this helpless man asking for his help, is Rin. His Rinrin. His teacher. His friend. His first love. "Rin-chan, I-"

 

" _Please,"_ He begged, eyes wide with fear now. "They're coming."

 

\---

 

_"Did you hear about it?"_

_"There was no body found. Just ashes. They found his MizuChanger behind."_

_"It was gruesome! It's such a shame... He was supposed to be Red, right?"_

_"Yeah. I guess Haru would get the position now."_

 

_Haru looked down at the MizuChanger in his hand, clutching it in anger. "He's not dead." He quietly said._

 

_"He isn't." Nagisa nodded, eyes glazed as he stared at the memo on the bulletin board. "He survived. He couldn't have just-" He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "They never found his DNA in there. Me and Gou-chan stole the report." He smiled at Haru and Mako, trying to sound as strong as he could be. "We'll find him. That's for sure."_

 

_"We will." Mako nodded decisively. He dialed in the MizuGreen code on his new MizuChanger, the ones they gave the group after telling them that Haru would now become the Red to their group._

 

_"He'll always be the Red." Haru whispered to himself, dialing the code for MizuBlue. He would get in trouble, yes, but he refused to let them bury Rin away from their memories. He would always be the Red to Haru's Blue. He was his rival, his greatest inspiration._

 

_Nagisa nodded and dialed his code as well. "No matter what, we'll find him."_

 

_\---_

 

"It took five years to find you..." Nagisa stared in fear a Rin. "It took five years and I finally found you-"

 

"I'm sorry." Rin bit his lower lip with his inhumanly sharp teeth, letting it bleed as well. Blood was all around him, from his arm, from his neck, from his lips. He was in pain and he just wanted it to end. "I'm so, so sorry..."

 

And before he could ask again, before he could give his life up, a light shone from above. A beam from the enemy ship. "No!" Nagisa shouted, dispersing the barrier and swimming quickly towards Rin. "Don't!"

 

But he was too late. For the second time in his life, Rin was taken away from his grasp.

 

\---

 

_"Good luck!" Nagisa grinned widely, proudly, at his 'teacher'. "You will definitely finish up those evil monsters and you'll come home and be our new Red!"_

 

_Rin just shook his head, expression showing extreme nervousness. He looked like he was about to throw up. "I'm not so sure about that anymore." He shivered. "There's so many PolluZoids in that particular point. I'm not sure why it's my- I'm just really nervous." He cleared his throat, eyes focusing on Nagisa again. "Can I really do this?"_

 

_"Well..." Nagisa narrowed his eyes. "You're the strongest person I've ever known." He said simply, shrugging. "If you can't, then the whole world is doomed. But you can, so we're all fine!" He laughed, loud and confident. "Show them who's boss!"_

 

_He couldn't help but smile back. Nagisa had that effect on people. He placed a light hand on Nagisa's head and ruffled his hair. "You're gonna be here waiting for me when I come back?"_

 

_"Of course!"_

 

_Rin took a deep breath before stepping back, saluting formally. "I'll be off then."_

 

_"I'll be waiting."_

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me at my [tumblr](moeblobmegane.tumblr.com) for updates and everything. Feel free to message me about how horrible I am as a human being.
> 
> Comments make me work harder.
> 
> Aaand, I'm sorry. Really, I am. *cackles*


End file.
